Delhi: A Nature Journal by Anuradha Kumar-Jain is Informative but can't Thwart itself from being Trite!

Turning the pages of a book boasting the beauty of Delhi’s environment in winter while sitting in Mumbai — already undergoing evident climatic change with winter — and reading up on the dipping AQI levels in the national capital with each passing day is nothing but a juxtaposition of ironies which Delhi: A Nature Journal (Rupa Publications) brought in to the plate. Penned down by Anuradha Kumar-Jain, a writer with interests in Ornithology, Delhi: A Nature Journal is an ode to the charm of Delhi during all the twelve months concerning the botanical developments, a vivid description of which appears both valuable and monotonous in the book.

Jain's journaling of seasons — from January to December — and her observance of the rising and blooming of varieties of flowers and plants have been well-complimented with glimpses of her daily routine in Delhi. Several monuments have been talked about in the book and how they appear during various seasons. The chapters entail the writer checking up on the status of the plants and flowers being grown by her as well as her observance of the surroundings, which, oftentimes, also includes birds, trees, sky, and more.

All through the chapters, what keeps the readers going is the beautiful and eye-catching illustrations by Bahaar Meera Jain that also make the book quite charismatic, at least by the look of it. While writing, Jain has made sure also to include historical references from other cities -readers find the mention of a large tree called 'Kalpabta' in the Jagannath Temple in Puri and the 25--year-old banyan tree in the Botanical Gardens at Kolkata, to name a few. The book also takes into account the botanical highlights of foreign cities as Jain shares valuable information, such as Pretoria in South Africa being called 'Jacaranda City' because "more than 70,000 trees lining its avenues and dotting the parks and gardens in Spring". 

The book promises a wealth of expertise about the botanical upheavals in all seasons within the geographical boundaries of Delhi and beyond, all through journaling to make it seem light to readers. The journey forged by Jain leaves behind a trail of information and deep insights into the plant kingdom with respect to Delhi and various seasons in the region. Some of her lines surely contain the capacity to stake one closer to the beauty of nature. About one such summer evening in May, she writes, "The maulsari tree is in bloom, clusters of creamy-white flowers illuminating the dense canopy like stars spread across an inky sky". Throwing verses and poems by a few prolific figures like Kalidasa, Rabindra Nath Tagore, and Emily Dickinson in between surely works in the favour of the book.

While the book follows multiple illustrations, giving it a colourful touch, the cover with pink bougainvillaea and Humayun’s tomb in the background appears effective and appealing enough for one to take the book in the hands. The readers might drop it back, however, over the oft-used trope of jargon about the subject and not-so-easy writing, and the book might not cater to a broad spectrum of readers. The onus was on Jain to keep it engaging - which certainly is a tricky manoeuvre for a genre like this - for which she has also used new-age slang like "Phew" and more; however, the book still fails to bind readers for longer. There seems to be a possibility for reductions in the daily account, in the absence of which it is even difficult for “Delhi lovers” to continue with the book for a long time.

All in all, the book might garner the attention of science buffs but it is hard to claim that it is also suitable on a wide horizon, which, henceforth, might directly impact its sales in the longer run.